An Advoserv staffer left to summon a supervisor, but Lawton was gone when they returned. Police began a search of the area and, at 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, sent a reverse 911 call giving residents a description of the missing man.

Two hours later, they called off the search for the time being, but started again later in the morning. Officials on Tuesday afternoon directed the action from the parking lot of Kingsway Regional High School.

There, Swedesboro-Woolwich Police Lt. Sheldon Lewis said state police had been helping the search, in part with helicopters. SouthStar, which airlifts medical patients when necessary, also sent a helicopter.

Thermal imaging cameras, which detect body heat among other indicators, were also used, Lewis added, along with K-9s and bloodhounds. Gloucester County Sheriff's officers and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members helped as well, he said.

All the searches seemed to lead to and end at one unspecified spot, police explained, so Lawton may have gotten a ride from someone.

That's what police Chief Russell Marino hoped as he spoke with Lewis about the ongoing search. But, he said, "We'll go as long as we can go (searching)." Marino added he wasn't sure yet how much longer into the evening they'd do so.

Lawton is described as black, 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing 205 pounds. He was last seen wearing a yellow shirt and green Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pajama bottoms.

He also has relatives in Camden, police said. Anyone who sees Lawton or knows his whereabouts is asked to call 911.

Sheldon said Lawton is very shy and passive and may flee if approached.